Wonderland
by kenet2904
Summary: a story of Sairyll. her parents are divorced and she is forced to live with his father, she was then dragged to another dimension, where she is the most important girl. she travells through through her dreams, it is kind of a comedy story. read this pleae
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: **The Crappy Life**

I'm just staring at my paper for almost the whole lesson. The school bell rang and thank God, those two periods of calculus are finished. I packed my note book and all my stuff quickly and hurried to the door. I'm holding a record that no one can beat: be the one who first get out of that hell hole. I drew a deep breath and smoothen my hair that looks crap, I never looked like this before, not since I moved in this place which I named 'The living hell' a.k.a.: the town of Harris somewhere in Texas I didn't even bother looking at the map where it is.

It's been 3 months since we moved here, and the 'we' I'm talking about is me, my father and younger little sister. I never wanted to move here or anywhere. I liked that place, the place where I grew up and the place where all of my friends are living and I really miss them so much and that's where my life is.

"Everything was just so perfect back there." I muttered to myself while walking to the locker area. I reached my destination and there it was: the damned locker. I call it the damned locker because it is at the bottom and has graffiti and curses next to the names written on it and it's full of dust and sand inside it. I dumped all my calculus stuff and grabbed my bag quickly and stood up and bumped my head on a locker door.

"Sorry, is your head alright?" The girl asked.

"I'm alright, thanks" I whispered to the girl without looking at her and started walking away from her. I headed to the girls' bathroom and started to take a good look at myself. My hair looks horrible and my lip gloss is so not glossy anymore. Well I don't care how I look anymore since me and my boyfriend broke up 3 months ago when he found out that we're moving. While staring and letting my mind fly away with many thoughts, my eyes noticed an unfamiliar sight on my face, well except for the horrible hair and the not so glossy lip gloss. My eyes look so sad and kinda big, probably because of the thick eyeliner I put on.

Another crappy day has passed and I'm walking home. There are a lot of things are in my mind and that includes ;about the calculus test that _we_ the calculus class are going to do tomorrow, what kind of 'boringness' is gonna takes place on me tomorrow, and many, many more. I was also thinking about my friends back home, what are they doing right now? This time we use to hang out with in malls and parks, giggling and laughing our guts out.

Old days back home, so perfect and – I'm here, standing at our front door, I didn't notice that I was just thinking about random things for what seemed just like few minutes but I'm here at this front door, I didn't know that 15 minutes has passed, well who cares? I'm about to enter _my_ home for the past 3 months.

I turned the knob and took my first step to what would have been home but it doesn't feel like it. A familiar voice called "Sairyll is that you? You here? Get me a bottle of beer from the fridge would ya? And clean up this mess." My father is sitting on his couch and I answered back "Sure" I walked down the kitchen and straight to the fridge where I can find a stock of beer for my father.

"Hey Say' how was school?" My younger sister asked me sitting on the table doing some art stuff.

"Great, how was yours?" I asked lazily.

"It was good but there's a girl in the class who hates me" She said.

"What? Did you do something to her?" I asked her with my voice a little higher than usual.

"Nothing but she suspects that I stole her pink pencil" she said.

"But you do have a pink pencil right? We bought it at K – mart before the start of school." I said to her.

"Yeah and it seems like we have the same pencil and she lost hers and saying that my pink pencil is her pencil." She said.

"Ok, tomorrow, we're gonna – "

"Hey! Where is my beer?" Father yells from the living room.

"Coming! We're gonna sort this out later." I said to her and walked away hugging 4 cold beers.

"Took you time, now clean this up" pointing at the coffee table with full of rubbish and it smells awful. I started to pick up garbages when he shoved me with his feet. "Get out of the way! Can't see the damn show" He shouted and I got out of the way.

I headed to my room and let my body fall on my bed, I looked at my clock and "crap!" I said. I need to do the dishes and take out the rubbish, make sandwiches for tomorrow and also do home works for my social studies and journalism. I like those subjects, it's interesting, but I have to do all of those before I go to sleep and it's already 9:45. "Jeez I think I need to reschedule my house chores, it really hectic right now."

I just finish doing the dishes and done the sandwiches and I'm really tired. I got to bed and hoping that I could dream of something, just something so I can escape reality and go to a _wonderland _where everything happens. I like dreaming, like I belong to that world and not here.

Pls guys! Review please!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: **The Dream**

I fell asleep just the moment I closed my eyes and just for a half a second I was dreaming. This dream is pretty unusual, different than the other dreams I had. I'm just alone and I'm stepping on something soft. _Maybe a really soft carpet?_ I thought.

No, this one is too soft for that, it's like cotton because it's light and it tickles under my feet and it's kinda cold too, or moist? I don't care what it is.

I was just playing with my feet with the cotton thing under me and I noticed that I am wearing a white dress, it's soft too, and I'm pretty sure that this dress is made out of cotton.

It's beautiful, that's all I can say.

I started to run and jump around the place.

_This place is beautiful but where are the other people in this dream?_ I wandered around to see if there are any other people is here and I just hope I would find my friends. Well if that happens I would never want to wake up, hell, I will never go back to the reality if that happens.

I was half walking and half jumping around to find a human in this place when I caught a glimpse of something, something shiny and really attractive. As I walk towards it, I can see that it is really tall, like a two storey building and I can also see that this is a gold and silver gate with diamonds.

I laughed to myself, wishing that I could take a chunk of gold and silver and maybe fill up my purse full of diamonds.

I was just about to touch the gate but it opens itself. After a minute, it is fully opened. I searched if there are any people inside it but there were none. I looked behind me and can see the endless space of white fog and inside the gate it was the same.

I took one step forward and I'm about to take another when I heard a startling noise and it sounds familiar. My alarm clock.

"Ah, hell." I got up and went straight to the bathroom. Then I went to Erin's room to wake her up. Ten minutes later, I got my uniform on and my bag ready and my sister just waiting for me outside and I'm ready to go. Not exactly, I don't want to go to school and not ready for school, and I think I'm gonna screw my calculus test today, like big time.

Just one thing to do before we started walking to school: Get some money to spend. I tip toed in the living room, my goal is to get the money without _him_ seeing me. And there he was, my father sleeping on the couch with empty beer bottles around him. I slowly took his wallet and get some money for breakfast and for my own savings then I tip toed out the living room. Another mission accomplished. _That was funny, another mission accomplished._ I thought to myself.

We went to a burger king shop first to buy our breakfast. Yeah that's right, burgers for breakfast. We walked out the shop as soon as we paid and get our burgers. I checked the time and it's just 8 minutes to go to start the classes.

"Ah, hell" I said.

This day is just pretty much like yesterday and the past three months. I sat on my bed and checked all of my notebook and schedules for tomorrow before sleeping. I guess I'm done for today.

I lied down on my bed and let all of my stress and problems away and bam! I'm sleeping and started dreaming again.

It's like the continuation of my dream last night. Like last night I was about to step inside the gate. I lift up my right foot to take the step and I'm stepping and I went falling through the fog – floor. I tried to scream but it's useless, who's gonna help me here? I mean I'm falling, like a million foot up from the ground. So, instead of screaming I tried to copy those skydivers which I saw on TV but I failed. Just like that.

I closed my eyes and let myself fall. I'm gonna wake up any moment now if I just think that this is just a dream.

Then After I did that I stopped from falling. I'm lying on my bed with a really weird feeling under my skin. I think its grass. Grass –? I opened my eyes and – _where the hell am I_? I looked around and realized that I'm in a farm or field or somewhere with just grass everywhere.

A thought came to my mind – "My father abandoned me? Maybe he dropped my sleeping body here to get rid of me, how cruel, just cruel." I shouted at myself. So I started to wander around the place and I walked straight to any direction I chose.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: **Trouble**

I think I was walking for an hour right now and I'm really hungry. I reached the pocket of this dress to get the wild cherries I picked on the way. Then a realization came in to me and dropped the cherries from my mouth.

"This white dress – "I trailed off.

"What is happening?"I asked myself.

I cannot believe it! This is still a dream. A sensation struck me and I heard my tummy grumble. I saw my cherries on the ground and quickly took it and hurled it down my throat. I think no one saw me do that, which is really gross if someone sees me do that.

I'm really hungry and couldn't walk anymore; I think I walked a mile now. I sat on the grass and rest for a little. While resting I picked up a smell, and it's FOOD!

I followed the smell and lead me to a road, like a vintage road because it is not cement or asphalt. I followed the scent and there it is; a civilization. Thank goodness!

My to – do list:

First, I eat then I hitch hike back to that 'living hell', no, I'm going back to my real home which is in California. Wait – this is just a dream I just realized it before.

This is a dream.

It means that I'm still in my bed room on my own bed sleeping.

That's right I'm still dreaming. This is all a dream! Then my stomach grumbles, again.

Well I need to eat first, before I wake up. I started walking toward to the city I found. I got there and something is not right_. This is really weird_. I thought.

What kind of place is this? It is really crowded and what's with the costumes? I mean they are wearing it is year 1200's or older. Well, this is a dream it's supposed to be weird.

Then the smell hits me. Food!

I went straight to a food store, but it doesn't look like one. Anyway I need to eat. I started to look at the food the guy's selling.

"Well, how can I help this young lady?" The seller asked me.

"Can I get two of those and one of that please?" I said, still staring at the foods.

"Here you go" the man said.

I grabbed it and get one piece of bread out and started munching.

"That would be three silvers, young lady." The man said.

I froze and forgot that I don't have any money with me and I knew it, I should have taken a gold or silver from that gate. I started to run and I ran like a demon was chasing me, well it wasn't that hard when a guy is chasing you with an axe.

I ran to a much more crowded place. It'll be hard for him to find me in this kind of place. I started eating again until I finished it all.

"Now what I'm gonna do next?" I looked around and saw that there are no signs of that guy.

"I know I will ask people where I can find the police station. In that place I can be safe."

I decided to ask the people to know where I could find a police station. I saw a guy at a corner and he's really good looking and I approached him. As I got closer I can see that he is more than good looking, he's hot and that's capital H hot, as my best friend Janine would say if she's here. Then I just stopped. I'm feeling like there's gonna happen something bad. Then the guy walked to me.

"Hey, you alright?" He asked me

"Yeah I'm fine. Oh yeah, do you know where can I find the police station? I'm new here and I'm lost." I said to him like a dork.

"Sure, I know where it is. Follow me." He said to me and gave me a really cute smile.

I followed him and we are really far away from the people now. "Are you sure this is the right way?" I looked around me and I can't see any people, just broken walls and empty houses are here. It's like a ghost town, but it's still part of the city. I think.

"It's alright, come on" He grabbed my hand and we walked with holding hands, which is really awkward for a guy you don't know. A couple of minutes of walking further and I can see a group of people from a distance, and looks like they're only guys. "He's here, Dan is here." Someone told the others. Then the guy holding my wrist tightened his grip and because it's so tight I can feel my own pulse and it's really fast.

"Let go of me!" I shouted at him. I hit his back which is really useless because he's not even reacting to what I'm doing. As we reach the group he dragged me in the middle of the group.

"Nice fishin' Dan, this one's a beauty" The nasty guy told him with his eyes on me. The group is consisting of five guys with their late twenties and Dan is the 6th member of the group. A guy tried to touch me and I punched him. I do not know what happened but I think it's my adrenaline rush that made me do that. "I like her" The guy I punched said. They all laughed.

"Get away from me" my voice sounded normal, which is good. I don't want them to know that I'm scared. They started to surround me and I know just what to do.

I readied myself and my throat, these guys better prepare themselves. I took a deep breath and –.

"AHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" I screamed like a damsel in distress just like the one in stories and I'm just waiting for the part where my knight in shining armour come and rescues me.

The guys laughed. "You think that'll help you? Huh?" One of the guys said then touched my hair.

Okay. This guy pisses me off. "No one does that to Sairyll Rhodes" I shouted and charged to the guy and tackled him. One guy down.

I leap to the closest guy and pulled his hair and he screamed in pain. Then I did a wrestle attack the other guy and two guys down and 4 more to go.

A guy came running towards me and I did him a good head bat. What I did knocked him down. Three more to go and I did a supplex on the smallest guy which left him on the ground moaning in pain. "Come on. That's all you've got?" I teased the guy. Then he was about to grab me when I kicked him right in the nuts. That made him cry in pain because of the hurt, I can see it on his face. Only one guy left and I'm done.

The last guy was just a foot away from me and I gave him an evil look and he looks scared. "What kind of martial arts are you using?" he asked with a shaky voice.

"From where I came from? It is called pro – wrestling!" I climbed up on a four foot tall rock and jumped from there and landed right on him. I got up and they're all on the ground – defeated.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: **My True Hero**

"Piece of cake." I said. I was just gonna walk away from the scene when the guy named Dan tripped me and send me falling on the ground and it really hurts.

"You think this is over?" He said to me. Then he sat on top of me. He's really heavy. I struggled and squirmed, but he's too strong.

"You're gonna pay for what you did, ya know?" Then he spits blood beside me. Then he grabbed my neck. I can't breathe. Another guy recovered from my beating and ripped my dress, exposing the top of my breast.

"No, please" I said, my voice is shaky because I'm really frightened right now.

The two guys laughed maniacally. "Somebody help!" My voice is hoarse because of my scream before. My eyes are closed, wishing to wake up and get out of this nightmare – Then I heard a struck, like a punch or a kick, I opened my eyes and saw the two bad guys On the ground moaning in pain. Then the man who saved me from those two helped me up.

I looked at him and I'm guessing he's only in his late 20 's. He's better looking than the other one, and I noticed a mark on his forehead and holy crap! The mark is glowing red, like shiny red. "Thank you for saving me, but I think your entrance is a little bit late" I said, not moving my gaze on his glowing mark. "How can I ever repay you?" I just said those for my dramatic effect.

Then he held out he's hand like he's expecting me to give him something.

"What?" I asked him.

"Where's the money? " He asked me.

"What money?" I asked him back.

"I save peoples' lives, and in exchange they pay me, that's kinda my job" He told me and still waiting for me to give him money.

"But I don't have any money." I told him.

"Oh, I just wasted my time here," He asked then started to walk away slowly. I just stand there. Then he looks back then walks slowly again.

"Wait! – "I called to him.

"Aha! I knew it! You do have money." He said and he's grinning like a maniac.

"No! I'm just wondering if you could take me out of this place." I said.

"Get lost lady I do not have time for this." Then he walks away with normal speed.

I don't have any choice so I followed him. A couple of minutes later of following him, he noticed me and he started to run.

"Hey! Wait! Don't leave me." I yelled to him. I started to run and I noticed that my dress is destroyed and it's showing half my breast. It's embarrassing even though there are no people around except for the tattoo guy.

He's really a fast runner, and I couldn't keep up with him. It's getting dark and –. People are starting to appear in this place. They're mostly guys, and I'm starting to get scared. What if these guys are like the guys before? I run even faster but I could see the tattooed guy is too far now.

"Shit." I said. Then he turned left, and I followed quickly. After that, he turned right then left, and left again. I followed him with all my energy left, and I'm really exhausted. The last time I ate was the breads I stole. I need to follow him, because he is nice. He saved me.

Finally he slowed down and entered on a beer house. I entered the beer house and I saw him sitting near the counter.

"Uh – look, sorry I don't have any money to pay –. The guy turned his head to look at me. He's not the guy who saved me.

"Is there anything you want?" The guy said.

"Sorry, wrong person." Then I walk away. What I did was really embarrassing. I didn't see where I was going and bumped on something hard and I realised it was a person. "Sorry" I said looking up at the person because he's really tall and big and smells really bad.

The guy looked at me suspiciously and says "Are you new here?" He looked at me like he was gonna eat me. "Want to have some fun?" he said and took a step making us too close with each other. "There are a lot of vacant room upstairs."

"No, thank you." What are you kidding? Do it with him? Not that I would want to do it with any other guy but, seriously? I walked away then he grabbed me on my waist.

"You are coming with me upstairs whether you like it or not." He said and chuckled like he just won a jackpot.

"Somebody help! Anybody! Someone! Please!" I yelled inside the beer house, but no one seems to care. I grabbed hold on a pole but he just pulled me easily. "Ahhhhhhhhhh! Help me." I feel like crying.

We got upstairs and he pushed me inside the first room and as I landed on the floor I think I broke my left arm and my head hurts. My plan is to jump out through a window but there's none in here. I also looked for something that I could use for a weapon, but there's none, the only thing in this room is the bed. He's blocking the door with his whole body. How the hell am I gonna get out of here? I'm feeling a little bit dizzy because of my head.

I screamed again and I hope someone came in and help me.

The guy laughed maniacally. Then He stopped then he just landed on the floor with a really loud thud. The man who saved me from that horrible man is –.

"You? Again?" The tattooed guy said. I can recognise him because of his glowing red mark on his forehead. "I guess you won't be paying me, again." He said.

"Thank you, again." I said without saying anything else. I'm tired and exhausted. I looked at him and he was looking at me. He helped me up then I heard a loud noise and it's really annoying and I know what that annoying noise was.

Everything went white and really bright so I closed my eyes and the time I opened my eyes, I am awake now. My alarm clock is still making noise so I got up and felt dizzy. I looked at the mirror and saw blood, and my arm is hurting a little bit.

Taking my mind off my head and arm and I remembered my dream.

In my dream, I was in an old city with full of maniacs but a tattooed guy saved me. That's right and he saved me twice.

"OMG, that's where I got my head hit and my arm broke." My realization is really dumb but I think I'm right.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: **The Red Mark**

I got to school on time today and I got my result on my calculus test: A big fat C -. Just thank goodness I still passed.

That's pretty much it, that's all what I can say about today. I did my schedule, which are: Do the laundries and dishes, give my dad more beers, do home works and the sandwiches for tomorrow. I hate this life. Life in the reality.

I lie down on my bed and thinking about my dream last night. What happens to me in my dream happens to me. Kind of cool but what if I die in my dream will I die here too? "Well that's shit, if that happens" I said to myself. I went through my schedules again. I forgot to do my home works for Social Studies. I got up and pulled my Social textbook from my bag.

I am really tired to do this now so I lied down again still holding the textbook. I heard some footsteps from outside my room. I know it's my father and I'm tired for today and I won't do anything he wants me to do for tonight. So I shoved the book under my pillow and turned off my lamp immediately. I pretended to be asleep.

The footsteps continue and stopped. He grumbles something sounds like "I've got work tomorrow." He said that to my sister on the other room. He walks again and kept still until the footsteps were gone.

I didn't realize that I fall asleep and suddenly I'm inside the dream again.

I'm in the middle of the crowd in the city again. I tried to get away from all the people and breathe. While breaking through from the crowd, I remembered what happened here the last time. I remembered the tattooed guy too. And speaking of him, I saw him not far away from me.

I ran after him, I'd call him but I don't know his name. I ran even faster and I was holding something in my hand and it's heavy too. I looked to see what was I holding and I'm shocked to see my Social Studies textbook. How did it get here? I shoved that off of my mind and started running again but I think I lost him so I started to ask questions about the tattooed guy.

I first asked to a guy sitting on a corner. "Have you seen a guy with a red tattoo on his forehead?"

"No, I haven't seen a guy with a red tattoo" He said quickly.

Then I asked the middle aged guy selling herbs and medicines. "Have you seen a good looking guy with a red tattoo on his forehead?"

"No, but am I good looking enough to be your man?" The guy said with his brows going up and down. I get out of that store quickly. That just freaked me out.

I tried another one "have you seen a good looking guy with a glowing red tattoo on his forehead?"

"You're looking right at him?" He said. Oh gosh, people here are psychos.

I tried again, "have you seen a good looking guy with a glowing red tattoo on his forehead? He says he save peoples' lives to have money." I said to the woman selling different fabrics.

"Ooh, him? People call him the demon. But he's nice I know him" The woman told me.

"Really? Do you know where he lives?" I ask the lady.

"Yes – Ooh, there he is!" the woman pointed on a guy talking to a girl.

"Thank you" I said in a low voice but I think she heard it. I walked towards the guy and it's him. He gave a candy to the crying girl and he looked at me.

"Hi" I said. Then he turned back to the girl. Looks like his comforting her. Then a woman came shouting a name then the girl run to the woman and hugged each other.

The girl was lost and he was trying to help her. He is really nice. I'm touched. He helped me too but I never thanked him before and I'm gonna do that now and I'm gonna try to pay him back no matter what.

"Thank you for saving me, I don't have any money but I'll do anything to pay you back." I said, but I wasn't sure if I'm serious about the last part.

"Really?" I saw his face lit up and I'm starting to regret what I said.

"Yeah?." What have I got myself into?

I heard a horn which came from nowhere, then people started to panic and I thought it was some emergency or something but I looked around and all the people around me was bowing. I saw a horse carriage and saw a man with heavy gold and silvers around his neck and glistening diamonds and all sorts of jewellery.

"See that man on the carriage? He's the emperor of this place" he told me. "You said you want to do anything to pay me back right?" He looked at me and says "You think you can get me one of his jewellery?"He asked me with an evil voice.

I don't have any choice but to pay him back. I stood up and ran towards the emperor. "Excuse me? Can you give me one of your jewellery? I need to pay my –"The guards stopped me from getting closer to him.

"You don't talk to the emperor like that!" One of the guards yelled at me.

"No, I need –" The other guard slapped me in the face and it hurts. All the people are looking at my direction and a group of guard with their spears ready running towards us. Looks like I'm in trouble.

When the group of warriors are about to point their spears at my neck, a guy suddenly jumped in front of me and looks like he is shielding me from the guards. I knew that it was the tattoo guy did that.

All the guards seemed to be awestruck by the glowing red tattoo on his forehead. "Look! His forehead! It's red, it's glowing red!" All the people made a shocked sound

The Emperor stepped out of the carriage and all the guards and people made respect, they all bowed their heads, we're the only two who stayed standing up. I looked at his face and inspected it, he's good looking and he really looks rich.

"Interesting" the emperor said really soft, looking at the guy's forehead. The tattoo guy stood still. "Tie them up" the emperor said and the guards acted quickly and we got tied up.

We marched to the emperor's castle which is really tiring and I'm really thirsty and hungry. How long till we get there? We entered the gate like half an hour ago and we're still walking. How big is this land owned by the emperor? A few minutes later the two of us was sent to a room.

"Stay here" The guard ordered us.

"OK, what's the plan?" I asked the tattoo guy but he didn't answer. "I take down the closest guard and you take the two over there, then we run" I said. He still stood there. Then another guard came entered the room.

"The emperor wants you now." The guard said and we followed him. We reached the emperor standing in front of a door. It's pretty big and it's designed with gold, silver and diamonds. It kind of reminds me of the gate I found in the all-fog dream.

The emperor smiled at us and opened the door by himself. He waved his hands in, wanting us to enter before him. The two of us entered with a guard behind us then the emperor closed the door. No one spoke for a couple of minutes and I heard something behinds us and sounds like the emperor is trying to light a match stick. When he got his fire, he lit a candle and like a chain reaction, another candle light up and then another one and another one. When all of the candles are lit up I looked around and it's beautiful. The candles made all the things around us look like gold, because of the candles' golden fire. In the middle of the room was a statue. A statue of a big eagle with its wings half extended and the blazing blue and red fire beneath the statue gave it a dramatic effect.

The emperor walked in front of the statue, he stared for a bit then faced us. "You two are the fulfilment of the prophecy." We stared at him. _What the hell is he talking about?_ "The prophecy written a long time ago says that two young being will come forth to save our country." He said with a hint of a smile in his face, but we still don't get it. We just stared at him. "A young man with a red blazing tattoo on his forehead with a maiden from the otherworld who wears a dress as white as the clouds of summer and a blazing blue tattoo on her forehead as well." He said now, getting a little bit annoyed. He probably thinks that I know their history or myth but no, I still don't get what he is saying. I think the red tattoo guy is just as clueless as me. "That two young being are you two" He said. How did he know that I came from somewhere else?

"Ooh?" We both said. I just did that because I don't want him to really loss his temper. I don't know if the tattoo guy really knows now what he's talking about.

"You! Young man what is your name?" The emperor said so sudden.

"Rafael" He said.

"How about you young lady from the other world. What is your name?"

"Sairyll" I said.

"You should decide whether to save us or to be banished from our lands forever." He said, looking a bit creepy now because of low light and weird air of awkwardness inside the room.

"What?" I said.

"You have to decide, stay here and save us or stay in the otherworld and be banished from our land forever." He said like it's a really hard question. Well it is a hard question.

"I – I don't know." I said. I heard the annoying noise of my alarm clock and I know that my time here is over, for now.

"Remember, you have to decide. Choose what's inside your heart." He said for the last time. Then everything went bright and I closed my eye. I opened it again and I'm back.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: **The Decision**

School is finished and as I walked home, I was still thinking about what the emperor said. Was it true? I don't want to leave my sister with my father alone, but I like it there, in the dream. I want to get to know Rafael, be friends with him and in some ways repay him.

I got home and same happened. I finished all my work and I tucked Erin in bed. It's time for me to decide. If I accept to be there in my dream/wonderland, I'd be happy and save lives. If I stay in here, I'd be bored to death but who will take care of Erin when I'm gone? I care more about my sister than my dream I think, I slept without deciding whether to stay here or there.

I started to dream and look like I'm in some other place. I am in my school back at California. I'm seating on my seat and I turned on my side and saw my bff's and we just laughed like we usually do when we're together. The school bell rang and all of us bowed but not me. The door opened and I saw the emperor entered the classroom. What the hell is he doing here in California? I thought to myself. He looked at me and says "Stay with us and you can have wishes." He said in a slow motion. Then someone entered the room, and it was Rafael. He entered with such poise and confident then he looked at me then the tattoo on his forehead glowed so bright that I have to close my eyes. I opened my eyes and see myself on a mirror, beside me is Rafael and behind me is the emperor. The emperor put his left hand on my shoulder and whispered to me "Save us and you get three wishes from our beloved God. The Sacred bird, The fire bird, The Phoenix." Rafael bowed down to my cheeks and kissed it lightly then his tattoo blazed redder than before. I stared on my reflection on the mirror and I saw something appear in my forehead. It feels warm and relaxing on my forehead and the thing that appeared on my forehead is a mark. A mark similar to Rafael but its colour is different. It is blue and it's glowing. My mark and Rafael's mark reminded me of the fire underneath the statue of the eagle. The phoenix.

"Choose now or be banished." The emperor said to me like a hundred times. He just keeps on saying it to me and my head is starting to hurt. Because of my headache, thanks to the emperor, I have woken up from my sleep.

I sat up and realized I was sweating and breathing heavily but the headache was gone. I think if I haven't decided where I wanna be they're not gonna allow me to enter their world again.

I remembered what the emperor said that I'm gonna have three wishes if I save their country. A thought came into my mind. If I save their country, one of my wishes is to give Erin a happy life here, or I can just wish that my family could be altogether again. So Erin can have a happy life.

I have decided and I decided to save their country. I quickly lied down and forced myself to sleep.

Just a couple of minutes ago I know that I am in the otherworld again. I'm in the kitchen of the emperor's palace and I saw a man with a bag full of different fruits and meats.

"Hey! You're stealing" I yelled at the man. Then he turned and faced me. It was Rafael. "What. Are. You. Doing?" I asked him.

"You said that you want to pay me back? Just let me go and you already paid." He said then continued walking.

"You can't steal!" I yelled at him just when he's about to go outside the door but he ignored me.

"Ahh, Sairyll you're back." The emperor said. He's looking rich, as usual. He looks a bit like Zac Efron, who's so hot and a really good singer. But Rafael is better good looking.

"Yeah I've decided to save you guys." I said and turned back Rafael is nowhere to be found.

"You two have to save us" He said. "Follow me" I followed him, not exactly sure where we going. "Rafael didn't want to do this at first." He said while walking.

"Did he change his mind?" I asked. I would want to work with him and save people yeah!

"Yes, after our agreement." He said stiffly.

"What agreement?"I asked and picked up my pace so I was walking beside him.

"He accepted the agreement to work with you" That's just what he said. That can't be true. I think I know him well enough that he's not just gonna agree to save a country without getting what he wants. Rafael wants money. So I think the emperor bribed him.

"Ok" I just answered. Then we reached our destination.

"This is a sacred room. I think you should see it before you start your quest." He said then opened the door.

"hmmp" Quest? Sounds exciting. Then he gestured to the room and I entered. The room is a little bit like the temple, with the phoenix and fire beneath it. I also see papers and paintings.

"These are the artefacts we found at the oldest temple of Susaku, the phoenix." He said then stared at a painting. "These is the painting made a billion years ago. This painting is a prediction about you and Rafael." He said with full determination and confident. "Our country needs you and Rafael" he said. "Our country is losing the war, everyday a hundreds of soldiers are dying and the West Country is advancing." He said and he's still looking at the painting and I think I saw a teardrop falling off his cheeks. I felt how he really loves his country and his people It just made me more determined to save this country.

I was wandering around the palace to find Rafael, just when I was gonna enter the kitchen, I saw him coming out of the kitchen with a bagful of fruits and meat just like this morning. I followed him even outside the palace. He went to the market place and he stood on a table and shouted "Fruits and meats for sale!"

"What the hell?" I said to myself. I was hiding behind a wall away from his sight. Then people started to crowd him. Buying his meats and fruits. After five minutes or so he's sold out. He made a pretty good bargain there. He walked away while counting his money. I continued to follow him. He crossed a bridge then entered a small house. Like really small house. I followed him and peeked on the window.

"Raf! You're back!" A little girl said. Then they hugged each other. Then another kid came out of the room. "Rafael! You're home early." He hugged him too. Two more came out from the small kitchen they look like twins. "Rafael! Come taste our food for lunch!" They said happily.

"How's father?" Rafael asked all of them.

"He's doing well, I'm sure he'll be happy to see that you're back early." The oldest kid said. Then Rafael entered a door less room and greeted his father.

"How you feelin'?" he asked his father. He's father is lying on the bed and he looks pretty awful and I noticed a girl beside his father. She's the youngest of all the kids in the house.

"He's feeling a little bit okay now" said the little girl with her cute tiny voice.

"Ohh, Rafael, you're here." The father said weakly.

"Yes father, I have very good news for us." Rafael said with a little hint of happiness on his face. His father didn't response but he continued "We're moving in the palace. We can get you healed." He said to his father.

"We're moving in the palace?" the youngest girl said then the twins entered the room and asked the same question then the girl then a boy. They are six kids in total.

"Yes, we're all moving. We can get a good life and get you guys educated." He said. Just watching them, made me want to cry. Now I understand why Rafael wants money, and it's not for a bad reason, he wants a good life for his family. I am also thankful for the emperor who helped them.

"I'm thirsty" the father said.

"Rey, can you get some water from the river?" Rafael asked the oldest boy.

"Sure" He answered and picked up a pail and bolted to the door and saw me outside their door. He dropped the pail and asks me "Who are you? Are you the solicitor? Sorry but we don't have money at the moment." He said.

"No, I'm Rafael's friend" I said then wiped off the tears on my face. The Rafael saw me. He made me come in then introduced me to all his brother and sisters.

"This is Rey, he is 13 years old. This is Sarah, she's 10. This one is Ken he's 8. These two are Karen and Camille, they're 7 and this girl here is Mae she's 5." I greeted them all and they're all friendly.

"Are you gonna be Rafael's wife?" Mae said then an awkward moment was ended by the twins. "Here we give you this." They're holding a plate with a dish. "We cooked it." I smiled at them and took it and it taste great. They're really good cooks for an 8 years old. "ooh Raf, we don't have any fish left to cook for dinner"

"Don't worry I'll buy us some." He said. "Come on, we're going." He pulled me and we went out of the house. He didn't speak or anything, he just walked and I just followed him. We were just a couple of meters away from their house when a girl came running behind us and I realised it was Mae.

"Here" she hand me a necklace made out of a thread and an acorn as a pendant and jasmine for designs. "That's my present for you as my brother's wife." I hugged her hen thanked her and she came back to the house to take care of their father. She's really sweet and nice. She kind of reminds me about Erin.

Then we continued walking. I wore the necklace Mae made for me and I looked at him. I felt sorry about his father and family but also thankful that the emperor's gonna help them.

We reached the market and he said he's gonna be on the fish section and I left off to do something so I can repay him for saving me. Well this morning when I let him go with all the foods didn't count.

I stood on a table and started shouting. "Chewing gum and candies for sale!" I snuck some chewing gum and candies under my pillow before I went to sleep. I was gonna use it some other time but I have no choice, I have to pay him back.

"What was it?" a man shouted.

"I'm selling chewing gum and candies!" I hold them up and they all murmured to each other. I need to change my plan they're not buying it. So I pulled one chewy out and started chewing then I blew a bubble. They all gasped and they seem amused.

"I'll buy one!" A man shouted.

"That'll be one silver." I said then he handed me silver and I gave him a chewy.

"I'll take three!" Another man yelled.

"I want candies!" A woman said. Then just after a few minutes, I'm sold out. I counted my money and I earned ten silvers and three golds. Rafael bought the fish they need then we went for a walk on the market before we come back at his house.

I stopped in front of a store selling toys. I went inside and he just followed me. I bought a colourful ball for Mae and two ribbons for the twins and a sling shot for Ken and a pencil for Rey. Rafael told me what they would want if they were with us.

As we walked down the village where they live, Rafael sensed something then he just ran towards their house and he was frozen in front of their house. I ran after him and as I reached their house I saw it and I just froze there like him.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7**: The Revenge**

I don't know how to react to what I saw. I dropped the ball that supposed to be for Mae, I stopped myself from shrieking and tears just fell down from my cheeks. I dropped on my knee in front of my door; Rafael entered slowly then kneeled down from the body of Mae. Mae has bloods on her arms and knees and on her face, but she's still breathing heavily.

Rafael holds her small body and Mae opened her eyes. "Raf, your back" Mae said. Rafael didn't say anything but he picked up the ball I dropped.

"This is for you" Rafael said. He's voice is weak and vulnerable. He sounds like he's gonna cry. Mae touched the ball from Rafael's hand and she smiled. Then she looked at me. "She picked that for you." Rafael said to Mae. Mae turned to me and smiled and mouthed thank you. When I was just about to touch her and comfort her, she dropped her hands from the ball and she stopped breathing.

More tears fell down from my cheeks and I held in my hands the necklace Mae gave me. Rafael stood up and carried her to the room where his father is lying. He is already dead. He also got blood on his arm and face. Rafael is crying quietly. He laid down Mae's body next to his father.

He knows where exactly where his other brothers and sisters are. He walked down to the kitchen and saw the four lifeless bodies of his brothers and sisters. Rey was near a knife and the twins and Ken behind his body.

I imagined what happened here at the small kitchen, Rey tried to protect his brother and sisters using that knife.

They also have blood on their bodies, but Rey was the worst of them all. He tried hard to protect. I was gonna go outside to have some air and a man with a black robe blocked me. He has a long black hair and pale blue eyes that looks scary. I stepped back, and then he smiled an evil smile. Rafael was on my side the time when he sensed the presence of the man.

The guy raised his two hands and I saw threads coming out from his fingers. It looks so soft and harmless but when Rafael charged towards him, it's like he's controlling the threads, it attacks Rafael but he dodged all of it. Rafael is incredibly fast he was about to punch the guy but he just stopped.

I don't know what happened but I was hanging above the floor and felt threads on my legs and arms. It is slowly tightening and slowly cutting through my skin. This man killed Rafael's family, using his threads. "You move and she dies" The man said coldly. I screamed in pain when he made the threads tighter. "Do you really want her to die?" I go on screaming again, the treads are cutting through my skin which made lines of blood on my arms and legs just like what happened on Rafael's family. Rafael has no other choice but not to move. The guy waved his hands which mean that he commanded the string to do something, I flinched but nothing happened. I saw Rafael surrounded by the tread. Rafael groaned in pain and I saw lines of blood all over his body. "I'm gonna get the priestess of Susaku and made her as a sacrifice for the Western Country God." He said and looked to me.

"Oh, no you won't" A girl stepped in to the scene, kicking the guy at the back which sent the guy on the ground moaning. The girl drew out her sword and set us free of the guy's threads. Rafael punched the guy and kicked and punched again. I can feel his madness through his eyes and the mark on his forehead glowing red like I never seen before.

"You'll pay for what you did to my family" Then he punched the guy with his glowing red fist. After that punch, the guy leapt on a tree and said.

"We'll meet again warrior" Then he just disappears. Rafael yelled loudly and he started to cry.

"I'll find him and I'm gonna kill him." Rafael said to himself loud enough that the girl and I heard.

I was behind a tree when Rafael buried his family. I still held in my hands the necklace Mae gave me just before she died. Because of me, they died. I kept on crying until he finishes burying. He stood up and walked away. I called his name and he faced me.

"I'm sorry" I cried even harder "Because of me they died." I paused then say "I didn't know that the enemies want me, I shouldn't have followed you here." I said. "I'm really sorry."

"Don't cry Mae wouldn't want that if she's here."He said "Together, we're gonna save this country from the enemies." He said then forced a smile on his face and fury and anger flicked through his brown velvet eyes.


End file.
